Secondary battery protecting circuit and hybrid power source equipment

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is a secondary battery protecting circuit connected in parallel with a nonaqueous secondary battery, the secondary battery protecting circuit including: a first voltage detecting circuit; a second voltage detecting circuit; a switch section; and a heat radiating section.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §120 as adivisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/113,146,filed May 23, 2011, under Attorney Docket No. S1459.70989US00 andentitled “SECONDARY BATTERY PROTECTING CIRCUIT AND HYBRID POWER SOURCEEQUIPMENT”, which claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. JP2010-122819, filed on May 28, 2010, the entire contents of both of whichare incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to a secondary battery protecting circuitand hybrid power source equipment. More particularly, the disclosurerelates to a secondary battery protecting circuit for protecting anonaqueous secondary battery, and hybrid power source equipmentincluding the nonaqueous secondary battery, a solar cell, and thesecondary battery protecting circuit.

Since a solar cell can generate an electric power only while a light isradiated to the solar cell, it is difficult to stably drive anelectronic apparatus by the solar cell itself. A method in which hybridpower source equipment is configured by combining a solar cell and asecondary battery with each other, and the secondary battery is used asan electric power buffer is known as a method of stably driving anelectronic apparatus. With this method, while an amount of electricityused in the electronic apparatus exceeds an electric-generating capacityof the solar cell, the electronic apparatus is driven by using both thesolar cell and the secondary battery. On the other hand, when the amountof electricity used in the electronic apparatus fall below theelectric-generating capacity of the solar cell, the secondary battery ischarged with an excess electric power from the solar cell. Using suchhybrid power source equipment results in that there is no necessity forcausing a power generating ability of the solar cell to correspond to anamount of maximum power consumption of the electronic apparatus. Thus,it is only necessary to supply an average amount of electric power fromthe solar cell to the electronic apparatus. This means that a size of asolar cell module can be miniaturized. Thus, a hybrid technology withwhich both the stable supply of the electric power, and theminiaturization can be realized can be said as a technology which isvery effective for the electronic apparatus which is aimed to beminiaturized and portable.

Now, in the hybrid power source equipment, the safety following a riseof a temperature of the secondary battery needs to be sufficiently takeninto consideration. The reason for this is because the possibility thatthe electronic apparatus loaded with the solar cell is positivelyexposed to the solar light is high. For example, in the case of a car ina midsummer, there is the possibility that the electronic apparatus isleft on a dashboard in the hot sun. In addition thereto, there is fearedthe generation of the damage of the secondary battery following thelarge and abrupt rise of the temperature of the inside of the electronicapparatus.

SUMMARY

An overcharge protecting circuit for protecting a secondary battery whena charge voltage value of the secondary battery exceeds a full chargevoltage value, for example, is well known from Japanese Patent Laid-OpenNo. 2008-220110. In addition, a technique for inhibiting deteriorationof a battery in a phase of preserving a lithium ion battery at a hightemperature by suitably carrying out the discharge is disclosed inJapanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-217687. However, with the techniquedisclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-217687, the lithium ionbattery is operated only when the lithium ion battery is not set in thecharge/discharge state. Also, the technique disclosed in Japanese PatentLaid-Open No. 2003-217687 aims at preventing the deterioration of thelithium ion battery. A technique which fulfills safety measures when thecharge voltage value of the secondary battery exceeds the full chargevoltage value, and safety measures for the rise of the temperature ofthe secondary battery at the same time is not disclosed in any ofJapanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 2008-220110 and 2003-217687 at all.

The present disclosure has been made in order to solve the problemsdescribed above, and it is therefore desirable to provide a secondarybattery protecting circuit for protecting a secondary battery eitherwhen a charge voltage value of the secondary battery exceeds a fullcharge voltage value, or when a temperature of the secondary batteryrises, and hybrid power source equipment including the same.

In order to attain the desire described above, according to anembodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a secondarybattery protecting circuit including: a secondary battery protectingcircuit connected in parallel with a nonaqueous secondary battery, thesecondary battery protecting circuit including:

(A) a first voltage detecting circuit;

(B) a second voltage detecting circuit;

(C) a switch section; and

(D) a heat radiating section.

In the secondary battery protecting circuit, the first voltage detectingcircuit is composed of a first resistance voltage-dividing circuitconnected in parallel with the secondary battery, having a temperaturedetecting section and including a voltage outputting portion, and afirst circuit whose input portion is connected to the voltage outputtingportion of the first resistance voltage-dividing circuit and which isturned ON when a voltage in the input portion is equal to or higher thana first reference voltage value,

the second voltage detecting circuit is composed of a second resistancevoltage-dividing circuit connected in parallel with the secondarybattery and including a voltage outputting portion, and a second circuitwhose input portion is connected to the voltage outputting portion ofthe second resistance voltage-dividing circuit and which is turned ONwhen a voltage in the input portion is equal to or higher than a secondreference voltage value,

the switch section and the heat radiating section are connected inseries with each other, and the switch section and the heat radiatingsection connected in series are connected in parallel with the secondarybattery,

an operation of the switch section is controlled in accordance withoutputs from the first circuit and the second circuit, and

when one of or both of the first circuit and the second circuit are heldin the ON state, the switch section is kept in a conduction state, andan electric power accumulated in the secondary battery is transformedinto heat by the heat radiating section.

In order to attain the desire described above, according to anotherembodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided hybrid powersource equipment, including:

(a) a nonaqueous secondary battery;

(b) a secondary battery protecting circuit connected in parallel withthe secondary battery; and

(c) a solar cell connected to the secondary battery.

In the hybrid power source equipment, the secondary battery protectingcircuit is composed of above described secondary battery protectingcircuit according to the present disclosure.

As set forth hereinabove, according to the present disclosure, either inthe secondary battery protecting circuit, or in the secondary batteryprotecting circuit included in the hybrid power source equipment, thefirst voltage detecting circuit is provided with the temperaturedetecting section and the first circuit. Also, the second voltagedetecting circuit is provided with the second circuit. When one of orboth of the first circuit and the second circuit are held in the ONstate, the switch section is kept in the conduction state, and thus theelectric power accumulated in the secondary battery is transformed intothe heat by the heat radiating section to be abandoned as the heat. Thatis to say, the second voltage detecting circuit functions as aprotecting circuit when the charge voltage value of the secondarybattery exceeds either the safe (proper) full charge voltage value orthe voltage value with which the overcharge state is caused. Inaddition, the first voltage detecting circuit functions as a protectingcircuit for reducing either the safe full charge voltage set value orthe set voltage value with which the overcharge is caused when thetemperature of the secondary battery rises. As a result, it is possibleto attain the high safety of the secondary battery.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A and 1B are a circuit diagram of a secondary battery protectingcircuit according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure, and aconceptual diagram of hybrid power source equipment according toEmbodiment 2 of the present disclosure, respectively;

FIG. 2 is a graph representing a relationship between an ambienttemperature and a safe full charge voltage value; and

FIG. 3 is a graph representing a relationship between the ambienttemperature and a charge voltage value in which a region in which one ofor both of a first circuit and a second circuit are held in an ON state(conduction state) is schematically indicated by slant lines.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Although the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will bedescribed in detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, the present disclosure is by no means limited thereto, andalso various numerical values and materials in the embodiments aremerely exemplified. It is noted that the description will be given belowin accordance with the following order.

1. Description of the Whole of Secondary Battery Protecting Circuit andHybrid Power Source Equipment of the Disclosure

2. Embodiments 1 and 2 (Secondary Battery Protecting Circuit and HybridPower Source Equipment of the Disclosure), and Others

1. Description of the Whole of Secondary Battery Protecting Circuit andHybrid Power Source Equipment of the Disclosure

In a secondary battery protecting circuit of the present disclosure, ora secondary battery protecting circuit included in hybrid power sourceequipment of the present disclosure (hereinafter collectively referredto as “a secondary battery protecting circuit or the like of the presentdisclosure”), it is possible to adopt such a form that either when anoutput voltage value from a voltage outputting portion of a firstresistance voltage-dividing circuit becomes equal to or larger than afirst reference voltage value V_(REF-1) depending on a temperaturedetected by a temperature detecting section, or when an output voltagevalue from a voltage outputting portion of a second resistancevoltage-dividing circuit becomes equal to or larger than a secondreference voltage value V_(REF-2), one of or both of a first circuit anda second circuit are held in an ON state. Note that, the first referencevoltage value V_(REF-1) is either an internal reference voltage valuewhich the first circuit has, or an output voltage value from a voltagereference IC. The second reference voltage value V_(REF-2) is either aninternal reference value which the second circuit has, or an outputvoltage value from the voltage reference IC. It is only necessary to seteach of the first and second reference voltage values V_(REF-1) andV_(REF-2) either as a voltage value corresponding to a voltage valuewith which an overcharge state is not caused in the secondary battery ata reference temperature (for example, 40° C.) or as a voltage valuecorresponding to a safe full charge voltage value of the secondarybattery.

In the secondary battery protecting circuit of the present disclosureincluding the preferred form described above, it is possible to adoptsuch a configuration that the temperature detecting section ispreferably composed of a thermistor, and is more preferably composed ofa thermistor having a negative temperature coefficient (that is, an NTCtype thermistor whose electrical resistance value is reduced with a risein temperature). In the secondary battery protecting circuit of thepresent disclosure including these preferred forms and configurations,it is possible to adopt such a configuration that the heating section iscomposed of a resistor. In addition, in the secondary battery protectingcircuit of the present disclosure including these preferred forms andconfigurations, it is possible to adopt such a configuration that theswitch section is composed of a transistor. Note that, when the switchsection is composed of a Field Effect Transistor (FET), it is onlynecessary to input a logical sum of the output from the first circuitand the output from the second circuit to a gate terminal of the FET. Onthe other hand, when the switch section is composed of a bipolartransistor, it is only necessary to input the logical sum of the outputfrom the first circuit and the output from the second circuit to a baseterminal of the bipolar transistor. Either the first circuit or thesecond circuit, for example, can be composed of a shunt regulator, orcan also be composed of a combination of an operational amplifier and avoltage reference IC, a combination of a comparator and a voltagereference IC, or a combination of a transistor and the voltage referenceIC.

In addition, although in the secondary battery protecting circuit of thepresent disclosure or the hybrid power source equipment of the presentdisclosure including the preferred forms and configurations describedabove, a lithium ion battery having a well-known structure and awell-known construction can be given as a nonaqueous (nonaqueouselectrolyte) battery, the present disclosure is by no means limitedthereto. In addition thereto, a magnesium battery or an aluminum ionbattery can also be given as the nonaqueous (nonaqueous electrolyte)battery.

In addition, a silicon system solar cell, or an organic system solarcell including a compound system solar cell, a dye-sensitized solar cellor an organic thin film solar cell can be given as the solar cellincluding a modularized solar cell. In addition to the solar cell, afuel battery or vibration power-generating equipment can be given as apower source in the secondary battery protecting circuit of the presentdisclosure. The hybrid power source equipment of the present disclosure,for example, can be incorporated in a car navigation system, variousaudio devices including portable type one, a mobile phone, variousinformation terminals including a smart phone, a notebook type personalcomputer, a mobile type personal computer, a Personal Digital Assistant(PDA), a game machine, an electronic paper such as an electronic book oran electronic newspaper, an electronic calculator, a watch, or varioushome electric appliances. Or, the solar power-generating equipment ofthe present disclosure can be used as a power source of any of theseelectronic apparatuses.

2. Embodiments 1 and 2

Embodiments 1 and 2 relate to a secondary battery protecting circuit andhybrid power source equipment of the present disclosure, respectively.FIGS. 1A and 1B show a circuit diagram of the secondary batteryprotecting circuit according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure,and a conceptual diagram of the hybrid power source equipment accordingto Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure, respectively. It is notedthat an illustration of a current/voltage measuring circuit and an MPPTcontrol circuit both shown in FIG. 1B is omitted in FIG. 1A.

The hybrid power source equipment of Embodiment 2 is composed of:

(a) a nonaqueous (nonaqueous electrolyte) secondary battery(specifically, a lithium ion battery) 10;

(b) a secondary battery protecting circuit 30 connected in parallel withthe secondary battery 10; and

(c) a solar cell (specifically, a dye-sensitized solar cell) 20connected in parallel with the secondary battery 10.

The secondary battery protecting circuit 30 includes:

(A) a first voltage detecting circuit 40;

(B) a second voltage detecting circuit 50;

(C) a switch section 60; and

(D) a heat radiating section 70.

The first voltage detecting circuit 40 is composed of a first resistancevoltage-dividing circuit 41 connected in parallel with the secondarybattery 10, and a first circuit (specifically, a first shunt regulator44). The first resistance voltage-dividing circuit 41 includes atemperature detecting section 43 and a voltage outputting portion 42. Aninput portion 45 of the first shunt regulator (first circuit) 44 isconnected to the voltage outputting portion 42 of the first resistancevoltage-dividing circuit 41. When a voltage at the input portion 45 isequal to or higher than a first reference voltage value V_(REF-1), thefirst shunt regulator 44 is turned ON. The temperature detecting section43 is composed of a thermistor, more specifically, an NTC typethermistor having a negative temperature coefficient. The firstresistance voltage-dividing circuit 41, although not limited, iscomposed of four resistors R₁, R₂, R₃, and R₄ connected in series. Thevoltage outputting portion 42 is provided between the resistor R₂ andthe resistor R₃. For example, in the resistor R₁ and the resistor R₂,one resistor has an electrical resistance value which is about twoorders of magnitude larger than that of the other resistor. In theresistor R₃ and the resistor R₄ as well, one resistor has an electricalresistance value which is about two orders of magnitude larger than thatof the other resistor. Thus, the electrical resistance values of theseresistors R₁, R₂, R₃, and R₄ are adjusted, whereby it is possible tocarry out a fine adjustment for a voltage value outputted from thevoltage outputting portion 42.

The second voltage detecting circuit 50 is composed of a secondresistance voltage-dividing circuit 51 connected in parallel with thesecondary battery 10, and a second circuit (specifically, a second shuntregulator 54). The second resistance voltage-dividing circuit 51includes a voltage outputting portion 52. An input portion 55 of thesecond shunt regulator (second circuit) 54 is connected to the voltageoutputting portion 52 of the second resistance voltage-dividing circuit51. When a voltage at the input portion 55 is equal to or higher than asecond reference voltage value V_(REF-2,) the second shunt regulator 54is turned ON. The second resistance voltage-dividing circuit 51,although not limited, is composed of three resistors R₅, R₆ and R₇connected in series. The voltage outputting portion 52 is providedbetween the resistor R₅ and the resistor R₆. In the resistor R₆ and theresistor R₇, one resistor has a larger electrical resistance value thanthat of the other resistor. The electrical resistance values of threeresistors R₅, R₆ and R₇ are adjusted, whereby it is possible to carryout a fine adjustment for a voltage value outputted from the voltageoutputting portion 52.

The switch section 60 and the heat radiating section 70 are connected inseries with each other, and the switch section 60 and the heat radiatingsection 70 connected in series are connected in parallel with thesecondary battery 10. The heat radiating section 70 is composed of aresistor (for example, specification: 22 Q and 0.9 W). The switchsection 60 is composed of a PNP transistor 61 and an FET (P-channelMOSFET) 62. Each of the output portion 46 of the first shunt regulator44, and the output portion 56 of the second shunt regulator 54 isconnected to a base terminal of the PNP transistor 61, and is alsoconnected to one terminal of the secondary battery 10 through a resistorR₈. An emitter terminal of the PNP transistor 61 is connected to the oneterminal of the secondary battery 10 through a resistor R₉, and is alsoconnected to a gate terminal of the P-channel MOSFET 62. On the otherhand, a collector terminal of the PNP transistor 61 is connected to theother terminal of the secondary battery 10. One source/drain region ofthe P-channel MOSFET 62 is connected to the one terminal of thesecondary battery 10, and the other source/drain region of the P-channelMOSFET 62 is connected to one terminal of the heat radiating section 70.The other terminal of the heat radiating section 70 is connected to theother terminal of the secondary battery 10.

Also, the operation of the switch section 60 is controlled in accordancewith the output from the first shunt regulator 44, and the output fromthe second shunt regulator 54. When one of or both of the first shuntregulator 44 (first circuit) and the second shunt regulator 54 (secondcircuit) are held in an ON state, the switch section 60 is kept in aconduction state. Thus, the electric power accumulated in the secondarybattery 10 is transformed into the heat by the heat radiating section 70to be abandoned as the heat.

More specifically, when an output voltage value V_(out-1) from thevoltage outputting portion 42 of the first resistance voltage-dividingcircuit 41 becomes equal to or higher than the first reference voltagevalue V_(REF-1) (for example, 1.24 V) depending on the temperaturedetected by the temperature detecting section (NTC type thermistor) 43,that is, depending on a change in electrical resistance value of thetemperature detecting section 43, or when an output voltage valueV_(out-2) from the voltage outputting portion 52 of the secondresistance voltage-dividing circuit 51 becomes equal to or higher thanthe second reference voltage value V_(REF-2) (for example, 1.24 V), oneof or both of the first shunt regulator 44 and the second shuntregulator 54 are turned ON. In other words, the first shunt regulator 44and the second shunt regulator 54 configure a kind of “OR” circuit.

A relationship between an ambient temperature T and a safe (proper) fullcharge voltage value V_(s) of the secondary battery 10 is exemplified inFIG. 2. When the ambient temperature T is equal to or lower than 40° C.,the safe full charge voltage value V_(s) is 4.18 V. However, when theambient temperature T rises up to 60° C., the safe full charge voltagevalue V_(s) is reduced to 4.01 V. When the ambient temperature T risesup to 80° C., the safe full charge voltage value V_(s) is reduced to3.93 V. Also, when the ambient temperature T rises up to 100° C., thesafe full charge voltage value V_(s) is reduced to 3.88 V.

The second reference voltage value V_(REF-2) is an internal referencevoltage value which the second shunt regulator 54 has. It is onlynecessary to set the second reference voltage value V_(REF-2) either asa voltage value corresponding to a voltage value with which anovercharge state is not caused in the secondary battery 10 at areference temperature (for example, 40° C.) or as a voltage valuecorresponding to the safe full charge voltage value of the secondarybattery 10. Specifically, the second reference voltage value V_(REF-2),for example, has to be made to agree with the output voltage valueV_(out-2) from the voltage outputting portion 52 of the secondresistance voltage-dividing circuit 51 when a charge voltage value (thatis, a voltage value inputted (applied) to the second resistancevoltage-dividing circuit 51) V_(in) is 4.18 V. Or, the electricalresistance values of the resistors R₅, R₆ and R₇ have to be adjusted sothat when the charge voltage value V_(in) of the secondary battery 10 is4.18 V, the output voltage value V_(out-2) from the voltage outputtingportion 52 of the second resistance voltage-dividing circuit 51 agreeswith the second reference voltage value V_(REF-2).

The first reference voltage value V_(REF-1) is an internal referencevoltage value which the first shunt regulator 44 has. Similarly to thecase of the second reference voltage value V_(REF-2), it is onlynecessary to set the first reference voltage value V_(REF-1) either as avoltage value corresponding to a voltage value with which an overchargestate is not caused in the secondary battery 10 at the referencetemperature (for example, 40° C.) or as a voltage value corresponding tothe safe full charge voltage value of the secondary battery 10. Asdescribed above, the safe full charge voltage value of the secondarybattery 10 has such a negative temperature dependency that the safe fullcharge voltage value is reduced with a rise of the ambient temperature.On the other hand, the temperature detecting section (NTC typethermistor) 43 also has such a negative temperature dependency that theelectrical resistance value thereof is reduced with a rise of thetemperature. Therefore, for example, since the safe full charge voltagevalue is reduced to 4.01 V when the ambient temperature becomes 60° C.,it is only necessary to select the temperature detecting section 43having such characteristics that when the charge voltage value (that is,the voltage value inputted (applied) to the first resistancevoltage-dividing circuit 41) V_(in) of the secondary battery 10 is 4.01V, the output voltage value V_(out-1) from the voltage outputtingportion 42 of the first resistance voltage-dividing circuit 41 becomesequal to the first reference voltage value V_(REF-1). Or, it is onlynecessary to adjust the electrical resistance values of the resistorsR₁, R₂, R₃, and R₄ so that when the charge voltage value V_(in) of thesecondary battery 10 is 4.01 V, the output voltage value V_(out-1) fromthe voltage outputting portion 42 of the first resistancevoltage-dividing circuit 41 agrees with the first reference voltagevalue V_(REF-1). In general, if the safe full charge voltage value whenthe ambient temperature is T° C. is taken to be T_(s-T), it is onlynecessary to select the temperature detecting section 43 having suchcharacteristics that when the charge voltage value V_(in) of thesecondary battery 10 is equal to the safe full charge voltage valueV_(s-T), the output voltage value V_(out-1) from the voltage outputtingportion 42 of the first resistance voltage-dividing circuit 41 becomesequal to the first reference voltage value V_(REF-1). Or, it is onlynecessary to adjust the electrical resistance values of the resistorsR₁, R₂, R₃, and R₄ so that when the charge voltage value V_(in) of thesecondary battery 10 is equal to the safe full charge voltage valueV_(s-T), the output voltage value V_(out-1) from the voltage outputtingportion 42 of the first resistance voltage-dividing circuit 41 becomesequal to the first reference voltage value V_(REF-1). Or, it is onlynecessary to carry out the selection of the temperature detectingsection 43, and the adjustment of the electrical resistance values ofthe R₁, R₂, R₃, and R₄ in combination with each other.

FIG. 3 schematically shows a relationship between the ambienttemperature T and the charge voltage value V_(in). In FIG. 3, when thecharge voltage value V_(in) of the secondary battery 10 exists in any ofregions “A,” “B” and “C,” one of or both of the first shunt regulator 44and the second shunt regulator 54 are held in the ON state. As a result,the electric power accumulated in the secondary battery 10 istransformed into the heat by the heat radiating section 70 to beabandoned as the heat.

The secondary battery protecting circuit of the Embodiment 1 isconnected in parallel with the nonaqueous secondary battery in such amanner and includes the first voltage detecting circuit, the secondvoltage detecting circuit, the switch section, and the heat radiatingsection. The first voltage detecting circuit connected in parallel withthe secondary battery has the temperature detecting section. Also, whenone of or both of the second voltage detecting circuit and the firstvoltage detecting circuit connected in parallel with the secondarybattery are held in the ON state, the switch section is kept in theconduction state. As a result, the electric power accumulated in thesecondary battery is transformed into the heat by the heat radiatingsection. That is to say, in the secondary battery protecting circuit ofthe Embodiment 1, or in the secondary battery protecting circuitincluded in the hybrid power source equipment of the Embodiment 2, thesecond voltage detecting circuit functions as the protecting circuitwhen the charge voltage value of the secondary battery exceeds the safefull charge voltage value. Also, the first voltage detecting circuitfunctions the protecting circuit for reducing the safe full chargevoltage set value when the temperature of the secondary battery rises.Therefore, it is possible to ensure the high safety of the secondarybattery. In addition thereto, since the secondary battery protectingcircuit monitors the charge voltage value of the secondary battery on asteady basis, the secondary battery protecting circuit operates as soonas the charge voltage value of the secondary battery exceeds the safefull charge voltage value a little. For this reason, it is possible toensure the higher safety and also the secondary battery protectingcircuit has the less power consumption. Moreover, the resistor havingthe small electrical resistance value can be used as the heat radiatingsection.

Although the present disclosure has been described so far based on thepreferred embodiments, the present disclosure is by no means limitedthereto. The configurations and structures of the secondary batteryprotecting circuit, the secondary battery, the solar cell, and thehybrid power source equipment which have been described in theEmbodiment 1 and the Embodiment 2 are merely exemplified, and thus canbe suitably changed. For example, although in the embodiments, theswitch section is composed of the two transistors, the switch sectioncan also be composed of one transistor, and the number of the resistorscomposing the first resistance voltage-dividing circuit and the secondresistance voltage-dividing circuit can also be suitably changed. Thefirst voltage detecting circuit, the second voltage detecting circuitand the switch section can be composed of so-called discrete components,or for example, can be composed of one integrated circuit.

It should be understood by those skilled in the art that variousmodifications, combinations, sub-combinations and alternations may occurdepending on design requirements and other factors insofar as they arewithin the scope of the appended claims or the equivalent thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. Hybrid power source equipment, comprising: anonaqueous secondary battery; a secondary battery protecting circuitconnected in parallel with said secondary battery; and a solar cellconnected to said secondary battery, said secondary battery protectingcircuit including a first voltage detecting circuit, a second voltagedetecting circuit, a switch section, and a heat radiating section,wherein said first voltage detecting circuit comprises a firstresistance voltage-dividing circuit connected in parallel with saidsecondary battery, having a temperature detecting section and includinga voltage outputting portion, and a first circuit whose input portion isconnected to said voltage outputting portion of said first resistancevoltage-dividing circuit and which turns ON in response to a voltage insaid first circuit input portion being greater than or equal to a firstreference voltage value, said second voltage detecting circuit comprisesa second resistance voltage-dividing circuit connected in parallel withsaid secondary battery and including a voltage outputting portion, and asecond circuit whose input portion is connected to said voltageoutputting portion of said second resistance voltage-dividing circuitand which turns ON in response to a voltage in said second circuit inputportion being greater than or equal to a second reference voltage value,said switch section and said heat radiating section are connected inseries with each other and are connected in parallel with said secondarybattery, said switch section operates in response to outputs from saidfirst circuit and said second circuit, and when at least one of saidfirst circuit and said second circuit is in an ON state, said switchsection is in a conduction state, and an electric power accumulated insaid secondary battery is transformed into heat by said heat radiatingsection.
 2. The hybrid power source equipment according to claim 1,wherein either when an output voltage value from said voltage outputtingportion of said first resistance voltage-dividing circuit becomesgreater than or equal to the first reference voltage value depending ona temperature detected by said temperature detecting section, or when anoutput voltage value from said voltage outputting portion of said secondresistance voltage-dividing circuit becomes greater than or equal to thesecond reference voltage value, at least one of said first circuit andsaid second circuit is in the ON state.
 3. The hybrid power sourceequipment according to claim 1, wherein said temperature detectingsection comprises a thermistor.
 4. The hybrid power source equipmentaccording to claim 1, wherein said heat radiating section comprises aresistor.
 5. The hybrid power source equipment according to claim 1,wherein said switch section comprises a transistor.
 6. The hybrid powersource equipment according to claim 1, wherein said secondary batterycomprises a lithium ion battery.